The grant total is nearly double what the council handed out last year.

"Arts funding in California has been steadily increasing over the past several years," says Caitlin Fitzwater with the council. "But this year, very significantly, there was a $6.8 million one-time state General Fund increase that allowed our arts council to really expand the reach of the grant programs."

Fitzwater says just over 1,000 applicants will get state money for a wide range of arts and culture projects.